St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-23
SEA BATHING.
ITS PLEASURES, ADVA NTAGEs
AND DANGERS DISCUSSED.
Stimulating and Tonic Effect of Salt water
The Surf No Place for Sufferers iron
Heart Disease-Some Practical POINTS Oh
Restoring Apparently Drowned PERSONS

Restoring Apparently Drowned ferson7'
To healthy person cold bath IS oe
lightful general stimulant. " hen tue oa'n
is taken in the sea instead OF III fresh "ateA
the invigOrating effect is heightened ov Vne
slightly irritart action of the salt water anu
the rounding of the waves and breakers
upon the skin Hence, if INDUCED IN 10
moderate degree sea bathing may be 'ooNeo
| upon as one of the most effective anu pea,
urabe restorative agents at our conli'iaii''
Persons suffering from the minor oesl e0' ~
nervous depression, or from any VI 'ne
effects of overwork, will, therefore, nearly
always find sea bathing beneficial Felsoll'
in health can find no more delightful recrea-
ton.
Beside the general stimulant effect NEIL
toned. sea bathing has a more or less perlna-
nent tonic effect upon the system An'
appetite and body weight are increased anu
sleeplessness is driven away as if by magic.
In diseases of the nervous system, such as
neuralgia and sick headache neurasthenla'
scrofulous diseases and some OF the malaoloS
peculiar to the female sex, sea oatns are
often wonderful aids in restoring heaith. ~
must be confessed however, that colo DALI
ing, whether in fresh or salt water Is not a
universal panacea and often fails to DO gooo'
Even experienced physicians are not always
able to indicate beforehand what cases Will De
, benefited and which injured by sea bat hlNS.
Unfortunately there are some dlsadVal-
tages and dangers connected with bathlh9 III
the sea or in any body of deep water IN
the first place persons suffering from any
form of heart disease should be exceedingly
cautious about venturing into the surf Inc
excitement produced by the struggle Win
the waves or breakers may cause overstraih
of the heart and sudden death. There can
be little doubt that not few cases OF drown
ing at the seashore result from sudden failure
of the heart, due to overstran in diseased
or weakened condition of that organ
'Cramp," or painful spasm of varlous mus
cles especially those of the lower extremltles
sometimes renders the bather helpless anu
liable to drown before aid can reach him. IL
is the opinion Ofthe writer that often asuduen
attack of nausea and vomiting while IN the
water causes the death by drowning when
IS ascribed to cramp. Since attention was
first drawn to this cause Of drowning by Dr.
John Morris. of Baltimore, the writer has
seen several instances in which persons were
on the verge of drowning on account OF an
attack of vomiting which came on Whlle
swimming. This Is one OF the reasons why
persons should not enter swimming pain
shortly after meal Vomiting is exceed
inglv liable to occur. and the vomlted mat
tiers getting into the windpipe, cut OF the
access of air from the lungs
fla person is apparently drowned, and the
body is recovered from the water within
short time. prompt measures of resuscitation
should be resorted to.
In death by drowning it is not necessary
for water to enter the lungs, as is generally
assumed. Death is due to obstruction to the
entrance of the air into the lungs, and the
consequent inability Of the blood to get rld
of the poisonous carbOnic acid which Is
formed in the body and to absorb oxygen.
In other words, sutfOcatiOn, or, as the doctors
call it, asphyxia, ensues. When this has
lasted shorttime the poisoned blood causes
paralysis of the heart and nervous system.
and the individual dies. IT. however, early
efforts are made to restore the respiration,
the interchange of oxygen and carbonlc
acid in the blood is resumed, the heart again
beats, sending pure blood to the brain, the
nervous system awakes from the torpOr into
which it had been thrown by the poisonous
blood, and life returns.
The main thing to do, then, in cases of
apparent drowning is to re-establish regular
breathing In the natural performance of this
act the air is drawn into and expelled from
the lungs by the alternate contraction of
certain groups of muscles on the outside and
tha ihS al
sion of the diaphragm, which forms the
muscular partition between the chest and
abdominal cavity, also aid in respiration.
In initiating breathing by artificial means
the normal rhythm should be maintained,
and as the natural frequency of inspiration
and expiration is about sixteen times per
minute the artificial motions of respiration
should not fall below or much exceed that
number.
The method of artificial breathing most
easily practiced is that known as Sylvester
The unconscious person should be laid fiat
upon the back with pad "a blanket or coat
| rolled up) under the shoulders, and all neck
and Wristbands at once loosened or cut apart
The forefnger of one hand wrapped with a
piece of muslin or anything handy-a hand
kerchief for example-should be swept
through the mouth to clear all mucus or
vomited matters. Then the tongue should
be drawn forward by an assistant in order to
raise the eplglottis (the valve which covers
the windpipe) so as to allow air to en-
ter the lungs. The operator then stands
or kneels at the head of the body, and grasp
ing the arms of the latter about the elbows,
draws them upward until they nearly touch
above the head. This portion of the act is
concluded with strong pull upon the arms,
which is kept up for two or three seconds.
By this motion the chest walls are pulled out
ward and partial vacuum created in the
chest, which is at once filled by the air rush
ing in and expanding the lungs.
The second part of the act consists in low
ering the arms until the elbows touch the
sides, when strong pressure is made against
the lower ribs and upper part of the abdo-
men in order to force out the air from the
lungs.
By repeating this alternate expansion and
compression of the chest about sixteen times
per minute the normal process of breathing
is fairly initiated If any life remains it can
often ha raca 1e1 RI f,ll activity NV th;s al M